Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] Physical layer for packet-based communication

[Rahul Dhar]

On Thu, Feb 03, 2005 at 06:18:15PM -0800, Eric Blossom wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 03, 2005 at 03:34:50PM -0600, Meenal wrote:
>> This is of great interest. On my wishlist is a data link layer 
>> module (MAC/LLC functionality) that would enable GNURadio, the 
>> physical layer, to work with IP.
>> Is the Click Modular router useful in this respect?
>> Thanks
>> Meenal
> 
> As far as I can tell there are a couple of ways we can get there.  The
> most straight-forward is to use the tap/tun interface to create either
> a pseudo IP or ethernet port from user space.  The kernel and the rest
> of the networking stack is on one end, GNU Radio would be on the
> other.  

As I understand the GNU
Radio programming model, a MAC layer would have to be integrated
directly into the PHY.  This isn't necessarily a problem since MACs and
PHYs are so closely related nowadays.  However, for a networking guy
like me, it does create a problem in that I'm not so good with signal
processing, so hacking a MAC into an existing PHY or creating a new
AMC/PHY is kind of scary.  Working through tun/tap would be nice from
layer 3 and higher, but the link layer won't be able to do that.  I
guess this gets back to having a nice interface between the MAC layer
and the PHY.

> Click isn't a requirement, it's more of an example of how things could
> be made to work.  [And a source of examples of how to get packets in
> and out of the kernel from users space.]

Ooh, combing Click and GNU Radio could let you do some seriously scary
stuff :)

-- 
Rahul Dhar
address@hidden
Actually, my goal is to have a sandwich named after me.

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